Lie to me
by Ren Mizuki
Summary: "Lie to me." that simle, breathy request that escaped her lips taunted him, challenged him.Why not kill her, dispose of the nuisance she was? But as time had lapsed, they had both grown. Sakura especially. And now, she seemed just the woman to tempt him from his path of darkness. SasuSaku COMPLETE


Lie to me

--

Her soft voice echoed in the large room, her lithe body pressed against the wall, him pinning her to it with his own.

"Why are you here?" she repeated, he had not answered the first time, and she was desperate for an answer. She needed him to answer, her brain and heart crying out to know why he was there.

He opened his mouth to tell her that it was none if her business, but she cut him off.

"No, wait." she began. "Lie to me. I don't want to know what really is going on." she murmured breathily, her breathing tempo unchanging, even though her pulse fluttered in her neck. Part of her wanted to know the truth, but somewhere, deep inside of her, she felt an objection. Did she really want to know? Did she want to have to suffer through the pain of knowing why he was there, and then leaving. No. It would be too hard to handle, this time around, when she had grown so accustomed to his absence.

"Sakura." he began in his deep timbre, and she shuddered.

"Lie to me, Sasuke. It shouldn't be that hard. You're a master at deceiving everyone." she said, her words harsh, but tone soft and gentle.

He stood there, pressed against her back, unaffected. "Sakura. What are you doing here?" he asked simply, expecting an answer immediately. He avoided the answer by turning it back onto her, switching the questioning position.

She tried to shrug, but the strong grip he had on her wrists pulled her arms too tight in order to do so. The male nin had her spread out against the wall, face and chest pressed to it. Her arms were out to the sides, pinned by her wrists from his large hands. She should have felt embarrassed, feeling him molded against her soft, yielding body, yet she felt calm, as if in the eye of the storm. His presence should have bothered her, the lack of having him near for so many years now coming to an end as he pressed against her. Oh yes. He was very much there, with her. It was not a dream. Not a nightmare that she could evade. So instead, Sakura did what she desired.

She ignored him, feeling no compulsion to answer. He had to control over her, whatsoever. She was not some toy he could play around with, anymore. True, she still loved him. Weather it was the boy from their childhood, or the man now, she would not know. But hatred and sorrow entwined into a cold grip on her heart, reminding her of the three hears she had suffered through, alone without Sasuke or Naruto.

His already tight grip tightened more so on her fragile wrists, so much that she feared they'd break. Her body was numb, thanks to his full fledged chidori, but it did not mean she could not feel pain or how he had his body pressed fully against hers.

"Sakura. Answer me." he ordered, giving no room for her to ease her way out of the situation.

"Shishou had asked me to come and participate in this meeting." she began softly, desperate to regain feeling into her body. "This meeting is with the other Kages and their advisors or most trusted delegates." she explained. There was no need to ignore him any longer. It would kill her faster. Yet still, her thoughts began to drift to the days before Naruto had come home. To when she felt useless and weak, sometimes wishing that she had never woken up from that bench, that dark night. Sakua resisted the urge to shake her head. She couldn't be consumed with those thoughts now.

His onyx eyes narrowed, Sharingan already deactivated because he saw no use for it. Yet even in the dark room, she could still feel his dark, brooding gaze fixated on her. "That does not explain why you are here." his voice was flat, cold, just like how it used to be. Or was it? Could she detect a hint of maliciousness in there? A subtle sound of cruelty in the deep pitches of his voice?

Sakura thought it wise for her own safety, that she answer the question.

"Like I said, Shishou asked me to come and observe the meeting, watching the other Hokage for any signs of betrayal or war-like mannerisms." she paused to take a deep breath, her chest expanding outward so that her back pressed into him more so. It was amazing, to feel him there, solid and whole. Would she ever get the chance to be near him again? To be this close to him? It seemed unlikely.

"That, and to also serve as a not-so-undercover security operative. You've probably already noticed the 20 or so ANBU from each nation." she commented, finishing her speech after having collected her straying thoughts. His presence brought forth too many unwanted memories.

Not bothering to answer her, Sasuke mulled over the new information. He had come here for news of Akatsuki, and therefore, his brother. Knowing that the Kages would be there, he could use the hidden spies, planted within their ranks of advisors or friends.

"Sasuke-kun...." her soft, sweet voice drifted through his thoughts, snapping him out of his plan.

"What is it, Sakura." he snapped coldly, and she grinned slightly from the sweet memory of that tone he used with her. It was familiar, and it warmed her inwardly, where she felt so cold.

"You've yet to tell me why you are here." she murmured softly, clenching her fists slowly so as not to draw attention. She could feel her limbs now, the effects of the full body chidori wearing off now, despite Sasuke's knowing.

She had sent small electrical currents into her nervous system, so that the currents multiplied, spreading out to every part of her body, eating away at the numbness, centered there.

Sasuke's face remained implacable, smooth as cool marble. "It does not concern you, Sakura."

She laughed low, her husky voice washing over him in a peculiar way. How much had she changed?

Peeved, Sasuke tightened his grip on her wrists, feeling her stiffen against his body as pain radiated through her bones.

"What?" he asked, his control over her only adding to the reason why she should answer him. So she was wrong. He did have control over her. At least, physically he did. Pain was a simple tool for him to use to get what he wanted.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, she forced a smile on her calm face. She had been facing the wall, but with faked will power, she turned her head to the side to get a better view of him. Even now, as she was pinned against the wall by his own body, Sasuke was beautiful. Shadows were cast along his high cheekbones, his heavy bangs that tumbled across his for head. Little remained of the boy from their childhood.

Now stood a man.

"I thought it funny how nothing ever seems to concern me." she told him, eyes narrowing dangerously, her jade eyes flashing at him. The memories had yet to fade in her mind, still fresh and new.

He, in turn, gave his trademark smirk. "Sakura..... Don't look like that. You speak the truth." he said cruelly. He was hoping to control her, not only with pain, but with her emotions. If he could only coax more information out of her.....

Instead of yelling at him in anger, she grinned. Her grin was pure feminine mischief. It was something Sasuke had come to despise during his time around Karin. She was annoying, especially when she gave him that grin.

Smirk disappearing, his eyes narrowed at her. Without saying anything, the atmosphere around seemed to expect an answer to his unspoken question.

"That's correct, Sasuke-kun, it does mean I'm right. Now if I'm right again, then you must be getting tired of me and want to leave now." she said, her voice faltering at the end, portraying her nervousness. It was clear she had nothing else important to say to him, pertaining to the meeting downstairs.

He leaned forward, bringing his face closer to hers. "I thought you wanted to know why I was here." he said, and she stiffened. He had to be certain. If there was anything she knew about his brother, he had to get a hold of it, and the only way to retrieve it was either through force or her emotions.

"H-Hai." she stuttered, much to her disdain. "But you won't tell me, so why push it? You'll just kill me sooner." she whispered, her voice a mere thread.

He chuckled darkly, enjoying the thrill that came when he frightened her. But soon his sadistic grin faded, and his eyes narrowed more so. Was he becoming like his brother? Killing without mercy? Cold hearted and cruel? Was he like Orochimaru? Had he become this way from the affects of absorbing the snake Sanin?

Shaking his head, raven hair tumbled over his brow, giving him a darker look. Without his headband, it was impossible to tame his wild black hair. But still, he looked so ruggedly handsome, that Sakura could only draw in a deep breath of his scent and hold it within her lungs.

"Do you want to know, Sakura." he asked softly, his warm breath washing over her in waves. The kinoichi's thought process splintered, and it took her a moment to remember how to breathe. Once she did, she forced the air from her lungs, making a sound come out.

"H-Hai." she managed to choke out, fury staining her cheeks at her weakness towards him.

He smirked again, watching as the helpless look in her eyes melted away by the spark of determination that now shone in her jade orbs. This was the Sakura he was not used to. Sasuke was completely set off guard by this---this older version of Sakura.

She no longer hung all over him, squeaking and clinging to him whenever she got the chance. Course, she had had none at all, and seeing as to her apprenticeship beneath the Hokage, she would not fully interact with him. He was indeed, still a traitor.

This older Sakura held her own sense of power and authority, most likely a trait picked up by her master as well. She had yet to tremble beneath him, physically, but her voice and expression was still an open book to him.

Yes, he did scare her. But she was not afraid of him killing her, or of him hurting her. It was more so to the fact of what kind of man he had become, and if Naruto found out, what would happen to the both of them?

"And you want me to lie to you." he stated, remembering one of the first few things she had said to him, not nearly 15 minutes ago.

"You would have done so anyways." she said with a steely voice, and he could tell that her fright was ebbing away.

He leaned in closer, his lips brushing her ear. Soft pink strands brushed his cheek as he inhaled the scent of cherry blossoms.

"Are you sure?" he whispered, his warm breath stirring tendrils on her neck, his own onyx hair sliding across her flesh enticingly.

Gritting her teeth, he felt her jaw clench. "Yes, dammit, since when did you play games? I do not have to take this, you know." she hissed angrily, and she could feel his smirk.

"But you are the one who wants to know." he murmured, his lips brushing her ear again so that she stiffened more so, her body constricting tightly.

Sakura remained silent, waiting for his answer. He still seemed oblivious to the fact that she had overcome the affects of his chidori and was now in full possession of her body now.

"I'll tell you if you know anything about my brother.... Sa-Ku-Ra." he whispered, pronouncing each syllable of her name with a warm puff of air. She could have cried out with frustration. This was sheer humiliation, the say he was treating her.

"No, dammit. I have heard nothing about your brother, Sasuke-kun. Nobody has. Now will you quit playing? I never thought you the kind of man to play this type of game....." her eyes narrowed unhappily, fearing she may never get the altered answer.

Sighing softly in disappointment, he felt the odd sensation to actually respond to her, to give her a small reward.

Tearing her heart apart, like he knew it would, should suffice.

He tilted his head forward so that more onyx hair slid forward, shielding his face from her peripheral view.

"I came here for you."

His warm breath rushed over her ear, and she shivered. Her eyes widened greatly, pupils shrinking. Stifling a gasp as shock rippled through her body, Sakura breathed deeply. She did this in a vain attempt to calm herself, even as the pain from his words affected her. To her pleasure, when she spoke after a few agonizingly slow moments, her voice was strong and clear, unwavering.

"That's not a very good lie, Sasuke-kun. I don't believe you. Prove it." she challenged, lifting her chin slightly.

He raised a brow, debating whether or not he should meet the challenge.

"You want me to prove it?" he asked softly, pulling his head back far enough so he could stare into flashing jade.

"Yes." she said seriously, a taunting, feline grin spreading across her lips. "That is, if you can." she added, raising a brow.

His lips immediately connected with hers, linking the two together more so. Sakura's eyes widened again before they slipped closed, savoring the feel of his lips against hers.

Much to the pink haired woman's disappointment, the kiss ended as quickly as it had come. Her eyes had slipped closed, and she refused to open them, afraid that this truly was a dream instead of reality.

Sasuke stared at her bewildered expression, amusement evident in his smirk. He appeared unaffected, while she had completely forgotten who she was by just the touch of their lips.

"Is that enough proof?" he asked, whispering it closely, their lips mere inches apart.

She didn't even tremble, she never moved. Finally, after several agonizingly slow moments, her eyes slid open, and the woman blinked a few times.

Her gaze connected with his, even as her soft pink lips parted to speak. Sasuke assumed that she was going to give up or faint. What was to come as completely unexpected.

"That was pathetic, Sasuke-kun. Your deceiving skills must have lessened when you were with Orochimaru." she said in a clear voice, strength and power behind her harsh words. "A kiss? Really. How original can you get? Everyone knows that a guy can always shut a girl up by kissing her. Or did you not know? Has Orochimaru protected you from real life knowledge? He must have kept you in that little fantasy world of his, allowing you to think that you could gain more power through him." she vented all her pent of anger on him. The past years had been painful after he left. And she wanted him to know that it was all in vain. His quest for power, ignorant and stupid. He could have gotten more power by staying in Konoha. There was no need for leaving.

He felt like he had been struck. Never before, had her words ever affected him. And now, she was insulting him! Sakura! The girl who had been his fangirl for years, loving him, pleading with him, begging him to stay, admitting her love to him! And now she decided to ridicule him? Sakura wanted to play her own little games, the pink haired girl who had always adored him wanted to fight back now.

Fury swept through him as her own smirk appeared in reaction to his silence. "Finally, I've made Sasuke-kun silent with my words. Usually you ignored me, but not now. I can see it on your face." she whispered triumphantly.

He jerked his head back, glaring as if she had spit acid at him. "I do not have to play this game with you, Sakura. I could easily leave right now." he muttered.

Her grin widened, flashing him white teeth. "And you would have done so by now, but you haven't."

Sasuke stood there shocked by the truth fullness of her words. He could have left by now, and he should have, but that would mean having to either kill her or knock her out. And at the moment, he wanted to do neither. She intrigued him now. Her new, feisty being spiking interest within him. How much stronger had she gotten?

"See, I'm correct again." she murmured, her husky voice smug. The sound washed over him in odd ways. It was no longer annoying like it had been in their younger days, and it was not a pestering sound like Karin's.

It was more---womanly, more defined and soft, husky notes adding to it's addicting sound. He wanted to hear her laugh, for some odd reason, finding that he wanted to hear, and more importantly feel, the notes dancing over him. Never before had a woman affected him like this. He blamed it on not having seen her for years.

"I find it amusing to humor you." he finally stated after a few moments, drawing himself out of his thoughts long enough to answer.

She snorted quite unladylike, her lips curling into a sneer. "Nice try. Your lies have definitely gotten worse. Since when do I matter?"

Making a final decision to the matter at hand, and what to do, Sasuke answered. "Now."

At the same moment, he drew his katana from nowhere, piercing through her back, pinning her to the wall with the sword and his body. In retaliation, Sakura pulled a kunai from out of the air, just like Sasuke had done, but she placed it against his throat. She had gotten better, faster. The male nin could feel power behind the softness of her skin, sinewy muscles under satin.

His face remained implacable even as a small trail of blood trailed down his neck, from the sharp edge of the kunai. "I see you've overcome the chidori's affects." he stated dryly.

"I've been free of it's affects since, oh, 7 minutes after you had struck me with it." she informed him softly, swallowing hard. Blood pooled in her mouth, a stream of crimson leaking from the corner of her mouth. She smirked, though, feeling triumphant over her little victory of outwitting him.

She swallowed again, her throat convulsing on the blood. Her smirk remained, curling her lips up into a cat-like smile as she stared at him, her eyes blank and void of emotion for once. Her smile faded along with the light in her eyes.

"I knew this would happen." she whispered, but there was no pain or sorrow in her voice. She had known he would do this, from the very moment they had been re-united.

Her words were so dead, so true that he felt his own blood grow cold with what felt like regret. She didn't look sad whatsoever, as she stated at him with her blank eyes and hollow smile.

"I knew this would happen." she repeated softly, grimacing as she felt the sword move within her, cutting more of the flesh and organs. Sakura chuckled slightly, but only ended up coughing, blood splattering on her lips. Subconciously, she made a mental note of what was damaged. Her lung had been nicked, efficiently diminishing her air supply. Otherwise, she could only feel the thin sword slicing a much larger hole in her body.

Hoarsely, Sasuke replied. "Knew what?" he asked, his eyes narrowing at how weak he sounded. Sakura was getting to him, and he did not like it. Pushing away the feeling that she produced within him, the one that made Sasuke second-guess himself, he glared at her. He waited for her to do something. To attack him recklessly, as any pathetic nin would. She had no hope of winning now, and would only succeed in hastening her death.

She smiled, but showed no teeth, and he knew they would be blood coated, because she was coughing up the crimson liquid as they spoke.

"That's more like it, Sasuke-kun.... Glaring at me at least tells me that you are paying attention to me." she said in that dead, hollow voice. That voice evoked fear in him. Again, he second guessed himself, wondering what he had done. She didn't appear to want to fight back, and he was impressed. She was definitely smarter.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes more, hoping that if he closed them enough, she would not see the fear and regret that shone in his onyx eyes. "Sakura. What did you know?" he asked again, fully aware she had not answered him. He was disgusted with himself. He should not be feeling these emotions. At this rate, he'd be killed by his brother. But Sasuke refused to admit that he was weak.

Without hesitation, she answered dully, "I knew you would try to kill me. I woke up last time, when you left me out there on that bench. But this time, you'll let me stay asleep, won't you?"

Her voice was so soft, so innocent, he re-thought things, forcing his plan to run through his mind once more so that he could see anything that could be modified for Sakura to live.

She could come with him, but he would not drag her along in the innocent blood he would be spilling to get to his brother. But he could not just leave Sakura here, dying. Sasuke had more class and decency than that.

So he began to remodel his plan, making adjustments to where he saw fit.

She frowned already, confused, even as she blocked the pain from her abdomen in her mind. She could deal with physical pain. But the mental pain he was giving her was too much. "It's a simple answer, ya know. Yes or no. Easy as that, Sasuke-kun......." that was it. No jests, no sneering, or curling of the lip. All she was asking was if he planned to kill her or not.

"No, Sakura. I will be leaving you awake again. You must continue to live." he finally said, after altering his plan.

The pink haired kunoichi pouted slightly, unhappy with idea apparently. "You just had to be cruel and leave me awake to live in this nightmarish world." she whispered softly, coughing again so that more blood splattered her already crimson lips. "To live and survive, knowing I let you slip through my fingers. That you were in my grasp and I let you go. Naruto would be so sad...." she whispered. "I won't even bother asking you to stay. I already know the answer." bangs covered her eyes as she bent her head forward in regret.

"Yes. And thank--"

"No!" she cut him off quickly, regaining life in her dull voice. "Don't say that word. Last time you did, you were gone, and I'm not finished." light sparked in her dim eyes, as if life had suddenly been re-awakened within her. The past.

Having retained his cool, Sasuke showed no signs of personal infliction on his face, but inwardly, he was suprised. She had changed a lot, indeed. "What else is there to say?" he asked smoothly.

"There is a lot to say.......but it depends on how limited the questions are." she said breathlessly, her lids fluttering as she considerably paled.

He sealed his lips to hers to silence her, knowing it would either be that or killing her. She was wasting her energy in talking. Why speak when he could show her?

Sasuke pulled away after a moment, having felt her lips tremble beneath his own. "Sakura.... Do you believe me now?"

Jade flashed angrily. "You cannot do that to me and not expect a backlash. You apparently want one, Sasuke-kun, so I will give it to you." she hissed. "Traitor or no traitor, lie or no lie, I will believe you. I always have, and always will." she murmured, her facial expression slacking as she felt her power drain away with every inch of blood that stained her dress.

Sakura's knees buckled beneath her, and she slipped a couple of inches, but immediately stopped as she felt the sword cut upward, making a larger gash so that it ended higher up, inching towards her sternum. It was excruciating pain.

Biting off a cry of agony, the pink haired kunoichi coughed up blood, and it dribbled down her pale chin. Eyes half-lidded, she glanced at Sasuke in empty anger, having not the will nor energy to conjure up the real emotion.

"Looks like you won't have to finish the job, Sasuke-kun. I'm halfway there." she said softly. "Looks like I actually get my way for once." she smirked.

He frowned, his onyx eyes boring into hers deeply. "Why not heal yourself?" he asked. She was a medic, one of the best. Orochimaru had mentioned such before, but hadn't mentioned that it was Sakura. Sasuke had cleared that up on his own.

She smiled wryly, again with her mouth closed. "Why bother? You'd only keep wounding me until I hit chakra depletion." she whispered, her voice a mere thread now.

Sasuke stared at her for a moment, his eyes narrowing. "You are affecting me too much...... Sakura." he said her name softly, and she shivered with some unknown emotion. He found her game a little annoying, and it wasn't because she was overplaying her role, it was how she, the player, was making him fall under her spell.

"Then kill me now, Sasuke, you don't want any hindrances with finding your brother, correct? You've gotten this far, why falter? Why pause?" she asked softly. Her voice was weak and thin, yet her words were strong, meant to slice through him and cause him pain. "Why stop for me?" she added after a painful silence.

He sucked in his breath, knowing she was correct. He was wasting precious time for gathering information to be with her, to kill her, which he had yet to do. But he knew that he would not, because he had already decided to leave her in the world, living, whether she liked it or not.

Biting off a short growl, he ground the sword deeper into her flesh, but Sakura held back her whimper proudly. "Why? Why you of all people? I do not know why I am stopping for you. But out of all the people I knew I would end up killing, you, Naruto, and my brother would be the easiest. No regrets." he hissed, saying more to her than ever before.

The pink haired woman let out a short laugh before coughing up more blood and grimacing. "Maybe you've grown soft, Sasuke-kun. We can't let that happen, now can we?" she said cruelly, a cold smirk settling over her bloody lips. He stared at them for a moment, memorizing the shape and color before shaking his head, clearing things. Maybe leaving her alive wasn't a good thing. Maybe he should kill her. But could he?

"I need to kill you, Sakura, but I cannot find the will power to do so." he stated simply, musing aloud, glaring at her she returned a weak smile of her own. "But I have already said that I would leave you to live your life after now." her thin smile vanished, and she pouted unhappily. Sasuke resisted the urge to kiss it off her face. His feelings were getting out of hand. This had to end. Now.

"Can I at least sit down before I die? I'd rather not have them find my body split in two because I carved myself by going down on the sword." she whispered, her breaths growing shallow.

Without removing the sword, Sasuke helped her kneel to the floor, as she coughed more, dragging in ragged breaths. "Say what you want to, Sasuke-kun. I will not be hearing much longer..." she muttered wryly. The kunai she held at his throat still was shaky, and finally she dropped it, having no more strength to hold onto it. "You win....." she spat unhappily.

Sasuke grunted softly as he felt the pressure at his neck recede. It had been awkward when they had kissed, since he ha felt the sharp edge of the kunai splitting more of the flesh on his throat. She would continue to live. There was no doubt about it in his mind. Sakura wasn't the type of girl...no, woman, to just walk into death's arms without a fight.

"I will not win, I you die. And I can promise you, I never lose." He hissed the vow, and she glared haughtily back at him.

He admitted to himself that she was dying. She had to live. Not had too, but was supposed to. He could use her, so her health was top priority at the moment. She had to quit being stupid and heal herself. Damn medic...

Turning away, he made his decision, however unhappy he would be or how many problems it would cause. Making a few hand signs, Sasuke grabbed for Sakura's wrist. When she glanced up, her eyes searched his in wonder.

"What are you doing?" she asked softly, watching as he brought the inside of her wrist to his lips. The sensitive skin there tightened as she tensed, suddenly afraid.

A sharp, burning pain entered her skin, scorching where his lips met at her wrist. "Sasuke!" she hissed in pain, tugging at her arm weakly, wanting to die with no more pain than what she had.

"Not done, Sakura. Hold still." he hissed back, and she could tell that he was unhappy about what he was doing to her as well.

Then why didn't he stop?

Lifting his head, he turned his attention to her bare shoulder, glancing at the smooth, clear flesh. As he began his descent to her skin, Sakura squirmed, wanting him to the process to an end.

"No, please stop........ Sasuke, stop!" she cried softly, tears springing to her eyes as she felt his lips connect with her shoulder. The strong kunoichi cried out softly as the intensity of the burning increased.

"Sasuke.........what......? Why?" she whispered, head tilted back in an attempt to control her pain. Her eyes were wide, glazed with shock. What was that?!

He lifted his head before grabbing her chin, his lips redder than before, as if blistered with heat. "Hush. If you do, I'll lie to you." when she stared at him in confusion, he added, "Just like you wanted me to."

She opened her mouth to protest, but was cut off by his warm lips. She could feel the burning sensation, but this time it was different. It warmed her cold body, and he tasted like hot spice and embers. His tongue slid into her blood coated mouth, and she didn't understand why he didn't find it revolting.

Sasuke didn't know how it had happened, but one moment, he was kissing her, then he was really kissing her. She tasted sweet, like strawberries, even with all the metallic tasting blood.

Breaking away for air, he stared at her drowsy, confused pale face. "Here is your lie. I promise to leave you alone, Sakura."

She blinked for a moment, waiting till her foggy brain registered everything. "Stop it. Don't lie to me anymore. I want to know the truth!" she pleaded, wincing at how desperate she sounded. What had happened to the woman who had so strongly withheld from him? Who had held strong while he mocked her, as he was doing now? She was tired, and couldn't hold out much longer.

"You cannot have it both ways, Sakura. Which is it? Truth or lie?" he asked, his voice taunting.

She grit her teeth, using the last of her energy to stay awake. "Truth." Sakura's voice trembled, as she saw black fuzzy edges around her eyesight.

He chuckled darkly, suddenly feeling a heavy weight lifted from his shoulders. "You belong to me, Sakura. I will know where you are at all times. Escape is futile. There will never be a time when I cannot find you. So my request, for you, is to stay alive. Live, prosper, grow stronger, so that when I return we can finish this business."

His voice was smooth and rough at the same time and the pink haired kunoichi looked at him in shock, eyes glazed. "How.....? Why.....?" she whispered, her jaw slacking as she felt her mind grow numb.

"You will find out soon."

She groaned with pain, feeling him lay her down on the floor, sword still within her. But thus time, he withdrew I enough to lay her down flat, before sliding it in the exact same way again, pinning her to the ground. "Tsunade will find you soon. Hang on till then." he ordered, even as he watched the bloody puddle surround her. "Do not die. Remember this, keep it close. You are not as weak as you were. Yes, we have yet to fight, but at least I know you're not the pathetic weakling I knew back then."

"Damn you, Sasuke. You bastard." she hissed, but immediately went into a coughing fit, blood flying from her crimson coated lips. "How could you… tell me all this…. Now?!"

He chuckled lightly, but felt another weight of responsibility being placed on his shoulders. Itachi would know that he had claimed her, If they ever met. Her chakra had been laced with his, by Sasuke using a Hidden Uchiha Jutsu.

It allowed the users to mark a person, and become able to track them anywhere. Sasuke could know what she was doing every moment, and they would be attached.

He frowned, his smooth pale face filled with worry and anger. Anger at his worry for her. He was responsible for her. If she was in dire trouble, if she ever came into contact with his brother, the elder Uchiha, he would have to teleport to her. With his interlaced chakra within her, he could immediately jump to her side, but the cost was chakra loss on them both.

This would be interesting.

Sasuke looked down at her. Even as she fought blood loss, she had kept her eyes trained on him, jade flashing furiously.

"If you won't kill me......... I'll kill you." she bit out, hands going to the sword, but they dropped, and she felt too weak to try again.

Again, the younger Uchiha chuckled beneath his breath, amused at her ferocious behavior. "Heal yourself, Sakura, or else you won't get that chance." he advised softly, and he immediately saw the green glow of her chakra healing her body around the sword. Apparently, she was interested enough to stay alive. He had to keep it that way.

He was amazed that she could stay awake through such pain, through all the blood she had lost. A normal nin, one she used to be, would have passed out by now, or had just died. But she was still with him, because he could see the jade flames in her eyes as they flashed dangerously at him.

"Until we meet again." he murmured, crouching low to whisper into her ear. "Arigato, Sakura."

She shuddered, tears springing to her eyes once more, her teeth digging into her blood coated lip, despite it's color and taste.

"I hate you." she whispered back painfully, groaning as she felt her pain increase again. She lay her head back down tiredly, and her eyes slipped closed.

"Lie to me, Sakura......... You've grown well at it...." he murmured tauntingly, unsure if she was even awake.

Sasuke bent down, kissed her for head gently, before drawing back, cursing at what he had done. The male needed to get out of here, away from her. She was intoxicating, soaking into his body like the very air he breathed.

"Damnit, Sakura. What have you made me do? What have you made me become?" he hissed at her, and when she didn't respond, he felt a jolt of fear.

Ignoring his own anger at this emotion, he paused long enough to watch her chest, rise and fall shallowly, beneath her bloody chest. Satisfied that she was alive, he turned away, leaving her and his soft feelings for her behind.

His panicked breathing soothed down to normal, and he glared at nothing. This was not how he was supposed to act. He should have just killed her, but part of him had said no. She could be used in the future, he supposed.

His team, Jugo, Karin, Suigetsu, they were all gone, to fulfill their own needs. Karin had obviously rejected to the idea, but she went with Jugo in the end, waiting for him to return.

And he would soon. He still had more things to attend to. To finish. To create. To destroy.

Sighing, he turned to look back at the pink haired kunoichi, a soft smile came upon his lips. She had stopped the bleeding by healing her wound with the sword inside of her. Smart girl.

He didn't bother to see if his mark was on her. He already knew. Sasuke could feel his chakra within her, of Sakura being within him. A part of him.

Her pale face shone in the moonlight of the open window. Her light green dress stained with blossoming red, glistening with the wet liquid. Even as she slept, unconscious, with, a sword through her upper abdomen, he had to admit she was beautiful.

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Sasuke turned and lept out the window, his coat-tails trailing behind him in the wind.

And so he was gone.

--

Tsunade walked around briskly, unsure of where her student was.

"Sakura!" she called out, angry and agitated without her cup of sake.

She flung open doors to rooms, searching everywhere.

"Ummmm.... Tsunade-sama!" came Shizune's panicked tone. The Fifth Homage hurried to her side, peering into the dark room. A single window was opened across the room, silver moonlight trailing into the room to behold.....

Sakura.

"Dear Kami...." she whispered, rushing to her student's side. Sakura had healed the wound with the sword inside of her, having no other choice to do so. There were no signs of a struggle, but she breathed erratically, as if angry or afraid of something.

"Sasuke......... You bas.......tard......" she muttered in her sleep, grimacing.

Her shoulder and arm twitched, jerking lightly as if to rid one's self of pain. Tsunade looked down at her student's wrist to see something that looked like a cross between a burn and a bite mark.

The same mark appeared on her shoulder. Peering closer, Tsunade gasped, before cursing angrily.

"Damnit. The young Uchiha brat's marked her." she hissed.

"But how?" Shizune asked, confused.

"See this mark? It looks like the Uchiha symbol, correct?" at this, Shizune nodded.

"Well, he's marked her with it. Almost like a seal. And only the Uchiha's know it. I do not know how to undo this seal." she spat angrily, feeling guilty that she could not protect or help her student.

She no longer belonged to herself anymore. She belonged to him. Was apart of him. Two halves of the same whole.

He condemned her to a half life.

"What do we do then?" Shizune asked the elder woman.

Tsunade bit at her nail, hating to wait precious time talking and not healing her student.

But before she could answer, Sakura's whispery breath pierced through the night's silence.

"Lie to me."

* * *

**A/N**

**I cannot decide if I want this to continue, or leave it as a one-shot. I am usually better at one-shots, and I do not know how to continue this. I will leave it up to you all and your reviews to decide what I need to do.**

**See, I'm better at one-shots, because that way, I get it done, I do not have to continue it.**

**Maybe I'll remake all my fanfics into one-shots, unless there's no need to, as in for some of my stories. **

**Anyways. Thanks for reading. This is my longest chapter I've ever.**

**over 6,600 words. (If you include this section, it makes it over 7,000 words)**

**Alright. **

**Arigato Gozimas!!!!!!**

**Your hairbrained, crazy, extremely late, etc, yada yada yada,**

**Authoress**

**Ren Mizuki**


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